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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
World
Zoe Forsey

'Glum' Prince William 'voiced frustration' when Queen rejected his wedding day request

Photographs from Prince William's wedding to his university girlfriend Kate Middleton are some of the most famous of the decade. The beautiful bride's perfect Alexandra McQueen dress looked stunning against the groom's bright red military uniform.

But according to Prince Harry's memoir Spare, William actually wanted to wear something different for his big day - but his grandmother the Queen rejected his request.

It's traditional for members of the royal family to wear military uniform on their wedding day, and the Prince of Wales originally opted for his Household Cavalry frock coat uniform. He joined the Blues and Royals as an Army Officer in December 2006 after a 44-week training course. A year later he was promoted to Lieutenant and he remained in the unit until he became a Search and Rescue pilot in 2009.

However the Queen wasn't keen on his wearing his actual uniform on his wedding day and instead suggested he worn an Irish Guards uniform.

William looked striking in the Irish Guards's bright red uniform (Getty Images)
Harry wore a different uniform for the celebrations (AFP via Getty Images)

She had appointed her grandson as Colonel of the Irish a few months before the wedding. It was the prince's first honorary appointment in the Army.

Harry reflects on his brother's disappointment in Spare, writing: "He'd asked Granny if he could wear his Household Cavalry kit and she'd turned him down. As the Heir, he must wear the Number One Ceremonial, decreed.

"Willy was glum at having so little say in what he wore when he got married, at having his autonomy taken away from him on such an occasion. He'd told me several times that he felt frustrated."

However the day went off without a hitch, with Kate and William looking like the perfect fairytale couple.

The official wedding photos will go down in history (CLARENCE HOUSE/AFP via Getty Images)

The entire royal family was there to celebrate with them, including the Queen, Prince Philip, Charles, Camilla and William's cousins.

Harry claims the reports that he was William's best man, which came from a Palace statement, were a "bare faced lie" however he still stood at the end of the aisle with his brother when they waited for the bride to arrive.

Royal author Andrew Morton, best known for his 1992 biography of Princess Diana, has previously claimed the Monarch was "positively playful" on her grandson's wedding day.

He writes: "The Queen was positively playful on the day of her grandson’s nuptials, ‘practically skipping’ according to one observer, absolutely thrilled at the way the public had reacted to the royal newlyweds.

"She had a sense that the future of the Royal Family, her family, was now secure. The monarchy was once again held in admiration and affection by the masses."

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